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The Real Science of StarCraft II

Forum Index > SC2 General
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1 2 3 Next All
Schnake
Profile Joined September 2003
Germany2819 Posts
August 15 2010 12:33 GMT
#1
I just found an interesting article that I wanted to share with you guys. Will we end up having an overmind sooner or later? :D

Scientists in a variety of fields including entomology, evolutionary biology, systems ecology, astrobiology, and physics, help us determine how much of the technology featured in the StarCraft universe is entirely science fiction and what could actually exist in real life.

Excerpt:
The Overmind
To control the vast billions that comprise the Zerg race, a hivemind consciousness rules over the species. This consciousness, known as the Overmind, provides direction for the raging masses of the Zerg brood. It is even suggested that individual Zerg have no conscious mind whatsoever. Are there examples of this kind of hivemind on Earth?

It is currently impossible to say with any certainty whether there could be a race like the Zerg out in the vastness of space. However, our own planet has a wonderful variety of life forms in extremely diverse environments. So it's possible that looking inward at our own planet could give us a decent idea of what Zerg-like aliens would be like.

"Construction occurs in an entirely opposite context to a hivemind," says Dr. Gene Robinson, professor of Entomology at the University of Illinois, about bee and ant behaviors. "Bees respond to local cues with a behavioral response, without knowing what the global state or goal might be. Local actions give rise to phenomenal global patterns, with no one in charge."

We don't have a consciousness that mirrors the Zerg, but the end result can still be similar.

In 2009, scientists learned that separate ant colonies in Japan, Europe, and South America were actually part of a massive global super-colony. This is theorized to have been accomplished by stowing away on human transport, and overthrowing native colonies. So even with a different type of hivemind, Zerg-like tendencies can still emerge.

Verdict Plausible

Hybrid Species
The three central races of the Starcraft universe are perfect foils for one another. Not only in terms of perfectly balanced gameplay, but also biology and story. So it was inevitable that they would start trying to meld their races together, to create extremely powerful hybrids capable of turning the tide of the war.

The Zerg show this capability in their infestation of Kerrigan, while the Terran are known to have experimented with implanting Protoss tissue into their spy units, Ghosts. Even the extremely powerful Xel'naga race of Starcraft lore experimented heavily with combining Zerg and Protoss DNA. But is it likely that the DNA of species separated by half a galaxy could be combined?

"The easiest way to meld two species would be to use genetic engineering to insert the desired genes of one species into another," says Dr. Michael Alfaro, professor of evolutionary biology at UCLA. "This is already happening -– transgenic animals are commonly created to express human diseases in lab animals like mice as well as weird animals like bunnies that glow and goats that produce spider silk in their milk."

"This does not mean that biologists can create a [hybrid] animal with any desired mix of traits," Alfaro continues. "Though it is not so far-fetched to imagine a technologically advanced society doing something like this."

Verdict True

Source: http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/215926/the-real-science-of-starcraft-2
"Alán Shore" and "August Terran" @ LoL EUW - liquidparty
Tritonus
Profile Joined August 2010
Denmark125 Posts
August 15 2010 12:52 GMT
#2
I thought it was commonly known that ants don't act on their own but are basically doing what the queen in the hive is in need of. Hive minded, basically.
Liquid`Jinro
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
Sweden33719 Posts
August 15 2010 12:57 GMT
#3
In 2009, scientists learned that separate ant colonies in Japan, Europe, and South America were actually part of a massive global super-colony. This is theorized to have been accomplished by stowing away on human transport, and overthrowing native colonies. So even with a different type of hivemind, Zerg-like tendencies can still emerge.

This is the coolest/scariest thing I have ever heard.
Moderatortell the guy that interplanatar interaction is pivotal to terrans variety of optionitudals in the pre-midgame preperatories as well as the protosstinal deterriggation of elite zergling strikes - Stimey n | Formerly FrozenArbiter
Antisocialmunky
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States5912 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-15 12:59:47
August 15 2010 12:58 GMT
#4
Ants do what is best for the colony, not the queen. In some species, if the current queen is getting old and not producing and many eggs then she may be deposed if there is a rival queen hanging around.

Besides everything is based on pheromone levels with ants, there is no centralized command and control with them.

As for the super colony, I think that is just a species of ants that doesn't compete with ants of the same species so every time a colony splits off - the colonies only attack other types of ants.
[゚n゚] SSSSssssssSSsss ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Marine/Raven Guide:http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=163605
Phayze
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Canada2029 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-15 13:02:41
August 15 2010 12:59 GMT
#5
Im freaking scared shitless, as an ant just crawled onto my desk seconds before I read this and I killed it. Oh god help me... zerg incoming.
Proud member of the LGA-1366 Core-i7 4Ghz Club
ELA
Profile Joined April 2010
Denmark4608 Posts
August 15 2010 13:00 GMT
#6
Interesting read - Thanks for posting this.
The first link of chain forged, the first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably.
shannn
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Netherlands2891 Posts
August 15 2010 13:01 GMT
#7
In the year 3010 the world will be in war between the terrans(humans), the zerg(the ants), the ehmm some race similar to the protoss :D and the hybrids (the hybrid animals) :D

But seriously the quote jinro quoted is scary though if you think about it ><
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewpost.php?post_id=6321864 Epic post.
synapse
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
China13814 Posts
August 15 2010 13:04 GMT
#8
Now I don't want to step on ants anymore.... rofl
:)
Jameser
Profile Joined July 2010
Sweden951 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-15 13:08:33
August 15 2010 13:05 GMT
#9
On August 15 2010 21:52 Tritonus wrote:
I thought it was commonly known that ants don't act on their own but are basically doing what the queen in the hive is in need of. Hive minded, basically.

ants don't actually operate under the direct control of the queen the way zergs do, they just have a series of basic commands that they follow in varying priority based on different things in the nest but it's a cool read :D
edit:
The Overmind
....
"Construction occurs in an entirely opposite context to a hivemind," says Dr. Gene Robinson, professor of Entomology at the University of Illinois, about bee and ant behaviors. "Bees respond to local cues with a behavioral response, without knowing what the global state or goal might be. Local actions give rise to phenomenal global patterns, with no one in charge."

We don't have a consciousness that mirrors the Zerg, but the end result can still be similar.
....

basically sums up what I said lol
Tritonus
Profile Joined August 2010
Denmark125 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-15 13:09:54
August 15 2010 13:08 GMT
#10
I mean maybe I just meant to say that I thought people knew that ants kinda have a collective conscious, that they are in fact biological "robots" with no awareness of their own.

Last week I saw a group of ant eating away at a dead bee, and I pointed to it with my finger quite near it to show my friend. As my finger neared, the ants sensed a presence and sent out two ants a couple of inches from the bee, one was facing in my direction and the other was looking slightly to the right of me, while the rest of the ants kept working away at the bee.

I thought that was quite cool that they sent out "scouts". Ants = drones. Bees = minerals.
MaelstromIV
Profile Joined August 2010
Canada28 Posts
August 15 2010 13:08 GMT
#11
On August 15 2010 21:33 Schnake wrote:
In 2009, scientists learned that separate ant colonies in Japan, Europe, and South America were actually part of a massive global super-colony.

That's a pretty vague statement and I'm pretty sure it just means that they're the same species, not that they can telepathically communicate. To think that telepathy is possible because a few ants crawl around is just ridiculous.
Jameser
Profile Joined July 2010
Sweden951 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-15 13:10:32
August 15 2010 13:10 GMT
#12
On August 15 2010 22:08 MaelstromIV wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 15 2010 21:33 Schnake wrote:
In 2009, scientists learned that separate ant colonies in Japan, Europe, and South America were actually part of a massive global super-colony.

That's a pretty vague statement and I'm pretty sure it just means that they're the same species, not that they can telepathically communicate. To think that telepathy is possible because a few ants crawl around is just ridiculous.

what in the article even indicates they would have a telepathic connection, or that ants even work that way
MaelstromIV
Profile Joined August 2010
Canada28 Posts
August 15 2010 13:14 GMT
#13
On August 15 2010 22:10 Jameser wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 15 2010 22:08 MaelstromIV wrote:
On August 15 2010 21:33 Schnake wrote:
In 2009, scientists learned that separate ant colonies in Japan, Europe, and South America were actually part of a massive global super-colony.

That's a pretty vague statement and I'm pretty sure it just means that they're the same species, not that they can telepathically communicate. To think that telepathy is possible because a few ants crawl around is just ridiculous.

what in the article even indicates they would have a telepathic connection, or that ants even work that way

I was using the article to back up my thoughts, which is that the OP is stretching it a bit.
heishe
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Germany2284 Posts
August 15 2010 13:31 GMT
#14
the problem with a real hive mind like the overmind is that it would either have to communicate with the "swarm" telepathically (at the moment this is highly unlikely to even be possible, as brains are not machines with a predefined output pattern that can be read), or it would have to be some kind of super plant where every animal returns to a nest during night and receives new information or something.
If you value your soul, never look into the eye of a horse. Your soul will forever be lost in the void of the horse.
lindn
Profile Joined July 2010
Sweden833 Posts
August 15 2010 13:43 GMT
#15
On August 15 2010 22:31 heishe wrote:
the problem with a real hive mind like the overmind is that it would either have to communicate with the "swarm" telepathically (at the moment this is highly unlikely to even be possible, as brains are not machines with a predefined output pattern that can be read), or it would have to be some kind of super plant where every animal returns to a nest during night and receives new information or something.

well there were those worm-like things i forgot the names on (cerebrates if i'm not wrong?) and having a special species collecting the messages and fly to the cerebrate and give him them would be possible, though slow. the chance of a system like where the creatures acted on their own in battles or had more powerful creatures command them in the field would be better
Opinion
Profile Joined May 2010
United States236 Posts
August 15 2010 13:46 GMT
#16
On August 15 2010 21:59 Phayze wrote:
Im freaking scared shitless, as an ant just crawled onto my desk seconds before I read this and I killed it. Oh god help me... zerg incoming.


You killed the first drone scout.
figq
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
12519 Posts
August 15 2010 13:49 GMT
#17
People are too obsessed with putting their own way of thinking in place of what is. The Hive can occur without the need for an "Overmind", but people are paranoid and always think about "someone" in control. Another problem is the refusal to categorize systems a little more flexibly. For example, we could argue that the "overmind" is the sum total of all ants. The ants form a communication network between each other, similarly to the way a brain does. In the brain there isn't one neuron which controls all the others, but it still works remarkably well. Sure, ants have queens, but as we see the ant colonies could be interlinked too, and there isn't one queen to rule them all. Similarly, in the brain there are more major and less major clusters of neurons. Thanks a lot for this, interesting read!
If you stand next to my head, you can hear the ocean. - Day[9]
XsebT
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Denmark2980 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-15 13:58:38
August 15 2010 13:57 GMT
#18
On August 15 2010 21:57 Liquid`Jinro wrote:
Show nested quote +
In 2009, scientists learned that separate ant colonies in Japan, Europe, and South America were actually part of a massive global super-colony. This is theorized to have been accomplished by stowing away on human transport, and overthrowing native colonies. So even with a different type of hivemind, Zerg-like tendencies can still emerge.

This is the coolest/scariest thing I have ever heard.

Oh Lord! Maybe we're just part of a huge intergalactic nydus network using black holes as nydus canals. X_X
화이팅
ithree
Profile Joined January 2010
443 Posts
August 15 2010 14:08 GMT
#19
Think ant's are scary atm ?

heres pt 1 of a classical bad 70s film of it:
[image loading]
Film pt 1 of 7 (legal btw)
TheAngelofDeath
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States2033 Posts
August 15 2010 14:17 GMT
#20
This is amazing. Lol. :D
"Infestors are the suck" - LzGamer
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